Mission Developer/Redeveloper Scholarship Application Form

Transcription

1 Qualifications for Nomination Qualified M.Div. candidates are nominated by their seminary and invited to apply for the scholarship. They should be rising middlers or rising seniors, or have the equivalent credits. From the submitted applications, there will eventually be a pool of candidates selected to undergo the mission developer/redeveloper pre-screening behavioral interview process. Candidates must also receive the affirmation of their synodical bishop, or designee, regarding their interest in specialized ministry. Qualified TEEM candidates are nominated by their seminary and invited to apply for the scholarship. They must have already been approved through the mission developer/redeveloper pre-screening behavioral interview process, which serves as their initial interview for TEEM. They must have also received a positive entrance decision from their synodical candidacy committee, affirmed by their synodical bishop and approved by the Domestic Mission (DM) unit. All nominees must be in good standing at an ELCA-affiliated seminary; be enrolled full-time in the M.Div. program or be onpace with their plan of studies in the TEEM program; be in the candidacy process for ordained ministry or rostered lay leadership; and have been selected to participate in the mission developer/redeveloper program at their seminary. Excellence vs. Need While it is assumed that all nominees have some level of financial need, the goal of t his scholarship program is to highlight and support candidates with the highest potential to be excellent mission developers/ redevelopers for the ELCA. As such, excellence will outweigh financial need in the selection process. Application Process The seminary will gather and submit the following materials to the ELCA Fund for Leaders before the March 20, 2017 deadline: 1. Each seminary is invited to nominate up to two students who have been selected to participate in the mission developer/redeveloper program. 2. Nominated students are asked to complete the following application (pp. 2-3 and signature on p. 4), and submit the completed application to the academic dean of their seminary. 3. Nominated students should also ask their candidacy synod to complete the Synod Authorization (p. 5). 4. The seminary should collect applications, complete the nominee certification (p. 4), and submit all materials to the ELCA Fund for Leaders by March 20, Completed applications will be reviewed by staff from the Domestic Mission unit. From this review, a pool of candidates will be selected to continue in the application process. These candidates will be required to participate in a mission developer/redeveloper behavioral interview. 6. Scholarship recipients will be notified in May. Deadline All nomination materials are due, from the seminary to the ELCA Fund for Leaders, by March 20, 2017 by to Juliana Glassco (Juliana.Glassco@elca.org) West Higgins Road Chicago, Illinois Phone: Fax: ELCA.org

2 Part One: Personal Information Seminary: Application Expected Graduation month/year: Degree Program: Name: first middle last Synod: Current Candidacy Status: Racial or Ethnic Group: Date of Birth: Gender: Church membership (current and previous): Prior occupation/employment: Educational institutions attended and degrees awarded (i.e., school, year graduated, degree awarded): Contact info during academic year: Address: City: State: ZIP code: Phone: Contact info during Summer (if different) Address: Cell Phone: Dates applicable: to City: State: ZIP code: Phone: page 2

3 Part Two: Essays Please complete the following questions in the space allotted. 1. What do you believe to be the reason for mission start congregations? Why is it important for the church to plant new mission starts and redevelop existing congregations? 2. In your mind, what is the role of the ministry leader in a new mission start or a redevelopment? 3. Why do you feel called to the particular ministry of being a mission developer/redeveloper? page 3

4 Part Three: Certification Nominee: I hereby certify, with my signature below, that the information I have submitted on the ELCA Fund for Leaders Mission Developer/Redeveloper Scholarship application form provides a fair representation of my vocational call to ministry. In addition, I, the undersigned, hereby agree that if I am selected to receive an ELCA Fund for Leaders Mission Developer/Redeveloper Scholarship, I consent to the use of my photograph and approved profile information in publicity and promotion of the ELCA Fund for Leaders, the seminary scholarship program of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. I agree to release and hold harmless the ELCA, its members, officials, and employees from and against any and all claims, demands, actions, complaints, suits, or other forms of liability that shall arise out of or by reason of, use of the photos or information I provide. Nominee (signature) Academic Dean: I certify that the above named student: is in good standing at the above named seminary; is in the M.Div. program or TEEM program; has received a positive candidacy decision from their synod; has committed to the seminary s mission developer/redeveloper training process; and is a nominee for an ELCA Fund for Leaders Scholarship. Academic Dean (signature) Seminary President: I nominate the above named student to receive an ELCA Fund for Leaders scholarship. May the ministry of Jesus Christ be blessed through this student as they prepare to become a leader in this church.. Seminary President (signature) page 4

5 Part Four: Synod Authorization Nominees must have the following form signed by their candidacy synod bishop or his/her authorized representative. Completed forms may be sent directly from the synod to the ELCA Fund for Leaders. Forms are due no later than March 20, Nominee (signature) The above named nominee for an ELCA Fund for Leaders Scholarship is in the candidacy process for ordained ministry. They also have conferred with the appropriate persons in the synod regarding their desire to enter into the specialized mission developer/redeveloper training at their seminary. The synod gives its authorization for this nominee to enter into the mission developer/redeveloper program. The synod will support this candidate as they progress through this program as determined by the synod s candidacy committee, the candidate s seminary, and the Domestic Mission unit of the ELCA Churchwide Organization. Furthermore, we endorse this nominee to receive scholarship support through the ELCA Fund for Leaders Mission Developer/Redeveloper Scholarship so that they may better serve this church as a mission developer/redeveloper upon their call to ordained ministry. Signed Name (printed) Title Synod Please return the completed form to: ELCA Fund for Leaders, Attn: Juliana Glassco, 8765 West Higgins Road, Chicago, IL Juliana.Glassco@elca.org page 5